After Rose's Birth
by QuirkyChameleon
Summary: an interaction between Ron and Hermione a day after their daughter's birth. Purely fluff. many thanks to my beta, pinkrose14!  enjoy!


Ron Weasley walked through Hogsmeade, carrying a bouquet of flowers. He was on his way home from buying the flowers, but before he went back he wanted to stop for a drink. He wondered to himself if he looked a bit strange carrying a bouquet of flowers down the street by himself, but he didn't really mind any stares he might have been getting. These flowers were for some very special people.

He walked into the Hog's Head, with no intention of drinking any alcohol whatsoever. Not today. He wasn't leaving the place with alcohol on his breath. He nodded at Aberforth behind the counter, who said "The usual then, eh Weasley?"

"No," said Ron. "I'd actually just like some tea if you've got any."

Aberforth gave a small jerk of his head and bustled off to make the tea.

Ron sat quietly, still holding that bouquet. From a short distance away a few wizards in the back were goggling at him with some curiosity and a teasing gleam in their eye. Let them laugh, thought Ron. They probably don't know who I am or why I have these.

Aberforth came back out to the counter, holding the cup of tea. Ron drank it and Aberforth eyed him.

"How are you then, Weasley? Your family all right?"

"Yeah," said Ron. "Mum and Dad owl sometimes, to ask how me and Hermione are. And we always see them around Christmas, along with Harry and my sister."

"How's Granger? You taking care of her?"

"Yeah, actually she-"

"What about Potter?"

Ron figured that Aberforth's hearing must have been fading a bit, since Aberforth was speaking with a slightly raised voice and he had just completely interrupted Ron.

"Harry's fine," said Ron. "He and my sister Ginny are married now; they have a son, James, and they're about to have another baby soon."

Aberforth nodded a bit. "Good, good."

Ron smiled politely and drank the rest of his tea.

"Well I have to leave," he said, making a gesture at the flowers he was still holding. "I have a very important place to be."

Aberforth gave a little jerk of his head. "Nice seeing you again, Weasley. Best to your family."

"Thank you," said Ron. He set down his cup of tea and left the Hog's Head. Once outside, he Disapparated and reappeared in front of his home.

He unlocked the door with a wave of his wand and went inside.

"Hermione!" he called, though not too loudly. "I'm home."

"In here, darling!" called Hermione quietly back.

Ron grinned and walked to their bedroom.

There was Hermione, who was sitting up in their bed, propped up by a few pillows. And in her arms was their baby girl, who had been born yesterday morning, close to about 1 a.m. The tiny little baby lay fast asleep in her mother's arms. Ron put the flowers in a vase on the bedside table, walked forward, and kissed his wife's head. Hermione was still in bed because the birth of their daughter had exhausted her greatly. She looked a lot more lively today, however, as Ron sat down beside the bed.

"How is she?" he asked quietly.

"She's still sleeping, mostly…" said Hermione, smiling down at their daughter. "She woke up a little while ago because she was hungry, but after I fed her she just went back to sleep. Perhaps she might wake up though, now that you're home."

"Let me see her," said Ron, coming closer.

Hermione gently lifted the baby and gave her to Ron, who was extremely careful to support her head and not drop her. Ron held his little daughter in his arms and a wide grin appeared atop his face as she opened her blue eyes and looked around at her parents.

"I'm your dad," Ron said to his daughter. "I'm your dad. And that's your mum."

Hermione smiled as their baby reached her little hand up toward Ron and he touched it with his finger.

"Here, give her to me," said Hermione. Ron slowly gave the baby back to Hermione. She looked down at their daughter and smiled as their baby yawned and kept looking up at her.

"We still have to name her," said Hermione.

"Oh yeah," said Ron. "We never did get around to that, did we?"

He faltered slightly at the expression on Hermione's face.

"I mean-that is to say-well I was worried about you-"

But she smiled.

"It's all right. I honestly think I was in too much pain to really think about it. But we must find her a name, one that's only fitting of a baby as beautiful as this one…" Hermione seemed to talk more to her daughter, who made a happy little sound and reached her hand up toward her mother. Hermione bent down and kissed their daughter's hand and fingers, then cupped their daughter's head with her hand.

"Let me see…" said Hermione thoughtfully. "What are we going to call you?"

She thought for a moment, concentrating on her daughter's face. After a few minutes, she looked up at her husband.

"What do you think, Ron?"

"Well here, let me see her," said Ron. Hermione gave the baby to Ron and he looked at her.

"Hmm…"

Hermione was looking at her husband with tenderness in her expression.

"Well, let's name her after you," she said. "Except we're not going to call her Ron."

"Wait a minute," said Ron. "If we're naming our child anything, it's going to be named after you."

"I don't think so," smiled Hermione. "I think our firstborn should have your namesake."

"But-"

Ron couldn't argue if he wanted to; Hermione was smiling very lovingly at him.

"Well then, what would we call her?" asked Ron. "What's close to Ron that is a girl's name?"

Hermione looked around the room for inspiration. Her eyes landed on the window, the many moving pictures, the dresser, the mirror, and finally the flowers that Ron had brought.

She studied them for a moment. It was a lovely array, really…there were bunches of Queen Anne's Lace, and in the center there was a beautiful red rose.

Hermione blinked. That was it. It was absolutely perfect.

She turned back to her husband.

"Rose," she said.

Ron looked at her. "Hmm?"

"Rose," Hermione said again. "We'll call her Rose."

"Rose," said Ron, looking down at the baby.

"Hi, Rose," he said down to her. Their daughter made a happy little noise and reached both her arms toward Ron, who grinned at his daughter and then at Hermione.

"I think she likes it," he said. Hermione beamed.

Ron looked back down at Rose. "Hi, Rose. Hi, Rosie. Hi, darling."

Little Rose was very befitting of her name; she began to smile.

Ron gave Rose back to her mother, who looked down at her.

"Rose," she said. The baby looked very happy and she gave a tiny squeal.

Hermione grinned widely. "Rose it is, then."

Ron watched his wife and his baby for a minute, and then he said "We'll call her Rosie for short."

"But calling her Rosie would make her name longer," laughed Hermione.

"Well, you know what I mean…as an endearing nickname."

"I know what you mean. I think that sounds lovely."

Hermione held Rose close to her chest, close to her heartbeat. Rose instantly became very calm; within a few minutes she had gone to sleep.

Ron got up slowly as Hermione's eyes softened at their daughter. Ron sat down in the bed next to Hermione and Rose, propped himself up with a pillow, and moved close enough that he could be next to his wife. Hermione leaned against him, exhausted, as he put his arms around her.

"I'm so tired," breathed Hermione. Ron felt warmth rise up inside of him as she leaned against him.

"I bet Rosie is too," said Ron. Hermione smiled tiredly.

"Look at her," she said, touching Rose's face with her finger. "She's so beautiful."

"Yeah," said Ron. "I wonder if she'll inherit her mum's intelligence?"

Hermione smiled again, leaned against Ron, and closed her eyes. She was soon asleep.

Ron sighed happily and closed his eyes as well. Soon he was fast asleep with his wife and daughter. Really, he couldn't have asked for a greater happiness than this.


End file.
